By Reni M. Valenzuela
The surot issue, tanim-bala, brownouts at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The unreasonable banning of e-vehicles on certain roads by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). The imperious rules of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program. The incredulous delays of plastic license cards by the Land Transportation Office (LTO). And some others. Oh, they are all zany and proving to be problems of and failures in leadership, more than anything else.
Secretary Jaime Bautista is generally perceived to be a good and humble person. He looks fatherly and sincere when he speaks. However, by the look of things, he lacks the leadership quality that is needed to head the Department of Transportation. I’m sorry.
Bautista can be likened to the late Noynoy Aquino when he was the president of the country. PNoy was a good man but too trusting of the people around and under him, and thus became vulnerable to crooks, exploiters and trusted associates who had their personal and political agenda to push more than the welfare of our people and country.
Vice President Sara Duterte, for her part, would do well to resign as Secretary of Education (for the nation’s better future) unless or until she does her work and duties well, competently and conscientiously—undistracted by her camp’s too much “early positioning” or unsecure politicking—unconnected to her aspiration or obsession of becoming the next Philippine President.
Back to yourself, Ms. VP Sara. And send the Chinese students that suspiciously start to flood our schools—back to their invading country of origin, ASAP, dear madam. And, to dear President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: What indeed is preventing the government from closing all operations of deleterious, disastrous, equally suspicious Pogo (legal and illegal) in the country, courtesy (again) of the Chinese?
Electric trikes or e-trikes are by far better than and different from tricycles and pedicabs that obviously deserve banning from major roads. E-trikes and e-bikes are tiny reengineered means of transportation, nice, unexpensive and cute, air pollution-free, eco-friendly, traffic-ease-conducive and safer as compared to fragile and ugly tricycles
and pedicabs.
Aside from the contribution of the said electric vehicles in solving the Filipino lack of public transport tools (cheap and convenient at that), e-trikes and e-bikes can be developed later as tourist attractions.
Ban them from Edsa and superhighways, but not from the rest of the roads that they are being banned from. Otherwise, MMDA’s policy would be tantamount to banishing the said modern vehicles altogether.
Comparative statistics of vehicular accidents belie the alibis of MMDA in crafting their inane, suppressive rule similar to the government rules that aim to junk our iconic jeepneys in favor of fake jeepneys (minibuses) that are imported from “friendly” China (alas!), in the name of “modernization” or national retrogression and cultural/historical vituperation.
If “accidents” are indeed MMDA’s reason in hating e-trikes and e-bikes, then they should ban all motorcycles first from all major roads.
Are foreign producers and local crooks getting anxious and worried over the rise of e-trikes and e-bikes in the country? Such a boom and phenomenon could boost our local manufacturing industry and bring jobs to jobless Filipinos—to the dismay and detriment of the corrupt and avaricious. Hell indeed doesn’t want Filipinos to progress on their own. Draw close to Heaven.
The nation needs more government officials in the mold of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos and Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto. But damn with all the selfish and dumb, robbers, thugs, abusive, cold, callous, undiscerning, useless, godless, conscienceless, and the mere politically ambitious. Heed the calls and admonitions, dear public servants and countrymen.